The Pittsburgh Steelers are historically one of the best organizations across every major sport. There has been extreme success that has spanned across multiple decades, and a lot of that is due to the Rooney family that has been operating the team over that time. However, the Steelers have always had a certain way of doing business and operating, and as time goes on, the organization has begun to get stale. This is something that is shown each year by the NFLPA Team Report Cards.
Gene J. Puskar / ap photo
Steelers' Art Rooney II visits the field before a game against the Browns.
Although the Steelers have consistently been one of the better teams in the NFL when it comes to their record year in and year out, the NFLPA Team Report Card repeatedly shows that the franchise has some work to do. The report card grades things like the cafeteria, daycare facilities, strength staff, travel accommodations, coaching and ownership. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, the franchise is typically ranked near the bottom of the league. In 2023, the organization was ranked 28th out of 32 teams, and the same result occurred in 2024.
For the second year in a row, the Steelers checked in at No. 28 out of 32 teams in the NFLPA's third report card.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) February 26, 2025
The NFLPA said the averages of of the bottom 5 teams rose from a D- in '24 to a C in '25 , so the Steelers scores improved, though their ranking is the same. https://t.co/mZ9Kup36ql
The Steelers showed some improvement, but the team is still ranked 28th in the league. Team President Art Rooney II needs to understand that his franchise is competing against 31 other teams in every area that is mentioned on that report card. Top free agents likely pay attention to those things, and it could make building a roster difficult.
Michael Allio / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Steelers Owner and Team President Art Rooney II looks on before a game.
The Steelers need to show that the organization cares about its players, and Rooney also needs to learn to open up his wallet every once in a while. The locker room and other facilities need serious renovations, while also investing in equipment players can use to recover and improve. In 2024, Beanie Bishop Jr. shared that he had to go back to West Virginia University on Mondays to use their recovery equipment because the Steelers didn't have it. That is simply unacceptable.
One of the most significant improvements for the Steelers on the report card was the creation of a gameday daycare for players. That raised their family support grade from an F- to a C-
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) February 26, 2025
Last year, Steelers were one of 7 teams without daycare
Thankfully the Steelers decided to adapt and add some form of childcare in the facility. Being one of the few teams without it last year was embarrassing, and that could be a serious dealbreaker when it comes to trying to bring in veterans from across the league.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II walks the sideline during a Steelers' game.
Steelers' Art Rooney II Thrown Into The Fire On Recent Report Cards
The report cards are mainly a huge reflection on ownership, and this edition of the grades was a horrendous look for Rooney. It showed that he did not want to invest in various areas around the team and within the facility, and he ranked near the bottom of all owner in multiple categories.
This is perhaps the most concerning grade on the Steelers report card, where players ranked Art Rooney II 28 of 32 owners in a composite score that considered willingness to invest in facilities, contribution to positive team culture and commitment to building a competitive team. pic.twitter.com/zRAUOd2qOn
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) February 26, 2025
The Steelers are currently in a long draught of no playoff success, and maybe it is time for Rooney to look at the way he is approaching things. It is hard to win in today's NFL as a cheap owner, and maybe it is time to change his approach to how he operates the organization.
What do you think about the Steelers ranking from the NFLPA? Let us know in the comments below!
#SteelerNation
